Report: Iran boosts uranium enrichment

VIENNA -- Iran has rapidly ramped up production of higher-grade enriched uranium over the last few months, the UN nuclear agency said Friday, in a confidential report that feeds concerns about how quickly the Islamic republic could produce an atomic bomb.

The International Atomic Energy Agency report also said Iran failed to give a convincing explanation about a quantity of missing uranium metal. Diplomats say the amount unaccounted for is large enough to be used for experiments in arming a nuclear missile. Iran insists it is not interested in nuclear weapons and says its activities are meant either to generate energy or to be used for research.

The report confirmed that two IAEA missions to Tehran within less than a month had failed to dent Iran's refusal to assist a probe to determine if the country has been secretly working on aspects of a nuclear weapons program.

The IAEA team had hoped to speak with key Iranian scientists suspected of working on the alleged weapons program, break down opposition to their plans to inspect documents related to nuclear work and secure commitments from Iranian authorities to allow future visits.

The report said "no agreement was reached between Iran and the agency, as major differences existed with respect to approach." The report said the agency continues to have "serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program."

Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's chief delegate to the IAEA, insisted progress was made. "Iran has started real action and cooperation with the agency regarding . . . the allegations," he said. "We are determined to work hard with the agency in a professional manner to resolve the issues."

International officials familiar with the talks painted a different picture. One said the IAEA team gave the Iranians a 15-page document outlining concerns, and the Iranians said they were "false and fabricated."